A pigeon which almost died trying to fly back home five years after he left his loft as a chick is slowly gaining in strength.

And soon he could be found a mate to help cheer him up.

Figo, the pedigree homing pigeon, is being nursed back to fitness by Skipton pigeon expert, Dino Reardon.

Mr Reardon, 70, has been hand feeding the bird while keeping it suspended above the ground in a specially-made harness designed to keep its broken legs off the ground.

"It's going to be a long job. Its legs have mended but it still has no strength. It can stand for about ten minutes but when it tries to take off it keels over," said Mr Reardon.

He is now planning to find Figo a mate which he hopes will cheer him up.

"I plan eventually to give it a choice of about six hens. It can choose the one it wants and have some chicks by. I think that will make it more content," he added.

Three weeks ago Figo dropped out of the sky half-a-mile from where he was born five years ago at Mr Reardon's home.

He was found lying exhausted in a field behind the home of Neil Holmes in Sharphaw Road, Skipton.